FIFA 12 screenshots: gameplay, updated UI and player/press relations

The latest FIFA 12 screenshots show a nice volley, Drogba staying on his feet, an empty stadium and a few menu shots – that’s all cool, but are they really the best EA Sports could find?

That’s probably what you’re saying right now, as you wonder why you’ve bothered to open this link. True, they don’t look interesting, at least not on the surface; however, as is the case with most things in life, these screenshots look considerably different once you know what to look for.

Let’s dissect a couple, starting with the screenshot showing Jens Lehmann’s predicament. It’s 11 March 2012, a year on since he came out of retirement to help his old club with its injury crisis. He’s delighted to see Arsenal playing well, but he questions the worth of him hanging around when he isn’t playing. So, it’s now up to you, the manager, to earn your wage and decide the best course of action. In other words, you better give him a game or two if you want him to stay.

The screenshot is evidence of the deeper managerial experience EA Sports is wanting for FIFA 12. Players come to you with issues and it’s up to you to react appropriately. The Aaron Ramsay screenshot, for example, shows him to be seemingly unhappy because he wasn’t selected for the previous game. You now have a frustrated and less effective player on your books. It’s a messy situation.

The media coverage is now a lot more comprehensive. In one screenshot, you can see a news report titled “Walcott Anger at Arsenal Treatment”. This story lets you see what the outside world is saying about your club, and it makes it clear that you have an unhappy player on your books. It also alerts the other AI in the game to Ramsay’s possible availability.

The new user interface is also worth noting. EA Sports has dominated on the pitch this generation, but away from the grass we’ve been less impressed with the clunky, tired-looking UI. That’s something EA Sports has been looking to improve for some years now and they’ve finally got round to doing it this year. There’s more detail on the screen and navigating around is now much more enjoyable.

So yeah. It turns out these screenshots really are more interesting than they appeared to be at first.